DS Forums

 
 

Which operators have UK call centres?


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-12-2015, 02:00
Lil Munchkin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 699
Vodafone have moved most of their call centres abroad now, in the last week I've been through to South Africa and Mumbai, it's all 'scripted' conversations, they speak with a exaggerated American twang, which I've been told is from learning English through, language course tapes. From the States

Ask them anything not on the 'script' like when will the matter be sorted? They repeatedly tell you they understand your problem and then make you tell them repeatedly what the problem is? Followed by "Yes Ma'am I understand your problem."

It's not understood at all, and they can't ever sort it either. Bloody joke
Lil Munchkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 04-12-2015, 03:03
enapace
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Posts: 4,249
Don't Vodafone still have that call centre in Stoke on Trent ? Or has that gone as well now.
enapace is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 03:32
Lil Munchkin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 699
Don't Vodafone still have that call centre in Stoke on Trent ? Or has that gone as well now.
I think they have the odd one dotted around, but they deal with 'other' things now so I was told in the Vodafone store.

Nobody in the stores is trained in billing either, so they have to ring call centres to sort the problem out too. Annoying thing is I can't speak to anyone who can help it seems. To add insult to injury they keep ringing to ask if I want their broadband. I said "fix my problem and I might consider it" Didn't work
Lil Munchkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 09:15
Synthetic42
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,510
I spoke to someone in Tyneside today. Was quick and painless.
They're usually pretty good, after the obligitory "You're a geordie too???" things tend to get sorted quite quick

Yes plymouth I've spoken to a few guys in your place too, maybe even yourself I used to work round the corner from NT1/2 up here, in fact I've been in NT2 for an interview back when it was Orange

Didn't know there was one in Sunderland, is that the old T-Mob site?
Synthetic42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 10:03
duffman25
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 489
02 have a UK one still and they are the best around at the moment.
duffman25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 11:25
steveOooo
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: London
Posts: 4,470
Talkmobile have - but I last called a year ago

V good customer service and operator imo
steveOooo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 14:03
preecey
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Swansea, Wales
Posts: 146
It doesn't matter where the call centre is. As long as they provide good service I'm happy.

In my opinion the tables have turned with regards to who has the best customer service.

O2 used to be great but now they're average to poor.

Vodafone has always been terrible and always will be.

Three used to be terrible but I've found them to be excellent recently.

EE offers the best customer service IMO. They used to be awful but they've improved massively. I was so impressed by the service given around three weeks ago I actually asked to be put through to a manager to give words of appraisal.
preecey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 19:26
jchamier
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: This forum
Posts: 3,392
EE offers the best customer service IMO. They used to be awful but they've improved massively.
This.
jchamier is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 19:33
Gigabit
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,887
Nobody in the stores is trained in billing either, so they have to ring call centres to sort the problem out too. Annoying thing is I can't speak to anyone who can help it seems. To add insult to injury they keep ringing to ask if I want their broadband. I said "fix my problem and I might consider it" Didn't work
That is incorrect. They are trained, they just cannot do anything because they aren't given access to anything but looking at PDFs of the bills.
Gigabit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 19:34
Gigabit
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,887
Vodafone has always been terrible and always will be.
They are trying to improve it, that's all I can tell you.
Gigabit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2015, 23:52
daclick
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,336
They are trying to improve it, that's all I can tell you.

Hmmmmmm
daclick is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 00:15
Gigabit
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,887
I can tell you that Vodafone internally is well aware of the issues and is working to resolve them. That's all I can give you.

Take it or leave it.
Gigabit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 00:24
carguy143
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Leyland
Posts: 1,971
BT mobile have a call centre in Liverpool. I've called twice and both times got through to Liverpool.
carguy143 is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 00:54
d123
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,993
I can tell you that Vodafone internally is well aware of the issues and is working to resolve them. That's all I can give you.

Take it or leave it.
If it's Vodafone, the choices should be leave it or run away as fast as you can from it .

I wouldn't want to be touching them with someone else's barge pole...
d123 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 07:34
duffman25
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 489
Vodafone is worst of the worst of the worst never ever again will I join them, there call center staff should all be sacked. I have never ever come across such a horrible rude usless bunch of people in my life
duffman25 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 10:01
Gigabit
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,887
As I say, I agree that it is a big issue but the only way to make the process better for other customers is to send feedback. Enough people do it, Vodafone will listen.
Gigabit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 21:46
finbaar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,921
I think there are a couple of things that could be done to improve the situation.
Firstly we, as users need to stop finding reasons to phone call centres. Take control.
Secondly, the networks need to empower the customers (which links to the above) and allow us to do more online. Recently I had to move my 3 payg number to a 12 month sim only contract. This couldn't be done in store when I signed up and I had to phone the call centre (in India) to do it. However why not just let me do it online?
And thirdly networks need to stop ****ing up and give us a reason to phone them. This is the most important.

As for Vodafone senior management being aware that the customer service is crap and being committed to improving it. Well they should go **** themselves with a blunt stick. Don't be committed. Just fix it. Tomorrow. How hard can it be?
finbaar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 22:48
Pedro_C
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Surrey, UK
Posts: 660
Vodafone CS's biggest issue is that most of the staff do not have the systems to do what they need/want to, which results in constantly moving the caller between departments. This then leads to disengagement. Quite often I have come across Vodafone staff that genuinely want to help but simply are unable. This is incredibly frustrating for them and of course the customer
Pedro_C is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2015, 22:53
Synthetic42
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Newcastle
Posts: 1,510
Do you guys think CS should be one department, so they can deal with all issues, technical, billing etc?

I still think things like Sales and Retentions should be separate though
Synthetic42 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2015, 08:42
Gigabit
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2,887
Essentially every department has access to the same system. Certain parts of it are blanked out for certain departments, such as the ability to cancel a line.

There are some specialist systems such as billing - these are only accessible by the billing team.
Gigabit is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2015, 18:21
ihatemarmite
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,060
I think BT Mobile's CS is in the UK (was reported in the media as such) but getting a no for them is opaque.
O.H just left EE for them. Couldn't get through to EE on numerous occasions and finally had to pay for EE premium CS just to get PAC code and query an account - so has ended up paying a month of both, as BT start charging you the moment they send out your SIM, not from when you activate it.

I'm with Tesco who are in the UK. Their online live chat isn't bad imho.
ihatemarmite is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-12-2015, 09:07
scooby1970
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Neath
Posts: 2,468
One of the reasons I've stayed with Three is because of their impressive customer service team. They are extremely helpful and polite. On occasions where I've had issues, they've been quick to help and sort out the issues. On occasions where I've needed advice, they've always come up trumps and been more than helpful.

Sometimes there can be a language barrier, but it causes very little distress to any of us (that's me with a strong Welsh accent and Three Customer Service with their accents). I know Three aren't perfect, but I'd rather speak to them being helpful than the shoddy customer service from UK call centres I've received elsewhere.

Mark
scooby1970 is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
Old 18-06-2016, 12:16
bearuk
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 4
The problem I find with these questions is - PEOPLE GO OFF TOPIC!

The question asked was 'Which operators have UK call centres?'

So telling us how great Three is, then mentioning there can sometimes be a language barrier, is completely ignoring the question. Three is not UK based, so they are not what was the OP was looking for.

(and going off topic) I was on Orange until 2 years ago when I couldn't get a signal inside the house. A foreign call centre that couldn't help, so I asked to cancel. That transfers back to the UK (where they tried up upsell me from my SIM only plan to a 24 month contract with a new phone), so as another said they don't trust the Indians to keep your business.

I chose Tesco Mobile and they've been UK based and very pleasant. Also, when I called them to increase my minutes they doubled everything for free, which surprised me as I was expecting and willing to pay for it!

I found this thread because unfortunately where I am now the 4G data is poorer than I would like on O2 (Tesco). But with all the other providers using foreign call centres I am figure I'm going to have to stay with Tesco.
bearuk is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-06-2016, 12:50
Broken Hope
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Nottingham
Posts: 314
The few times I've had to call EE have had a UK call centre.
Broken Hope is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18-06-2016, 13:02
moox
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14,645
When I've talked to BT they have UK call centres. I understand their policy is to bring the call centres back to the UK, and no doubt that extends to EE too
moox is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 05:02.